Abstract: A substrate container includes a container portion having an open side or bottom, and a door to sealingly close the open side or bottom, one of the door and the container portion defining access structure. The substrate container additionally includes a check-valve assembly, the check-valve assembly being retained with respect to the access structure to provide fluid communication with an interior of the substrate container. The check-valve assembly includes a grommet, the grommet being formed of an elastomeric material. A valve seat is disposed within the grommet, the valve seat being integrally formed with the grommet according to one aspect, and being formed of a separate piece according to another aspect. An elastomeric valve member, specifically an elastomeric umbrella valve member according to one aspect, is disposed within the grommet and held to engage the valve seat, thereby restricting fluid flow through the check-valve assembly with respect to the interior of the substrate container.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate carrying container, such as a front opening unified pod, is configured such that a semiconductor substrate can be accessed and removed from or inserted into an interior space of the container via a rear opening that is located opposite a front opening that also permits removal and insertion therethrough. The removal and insertion via the rear opening can be achieved in any suitable manner including, but not limited to, using an automated mechanism, such as a robot arm, or manually.

Abstract: A substrate container includes a container portion having an open side or bottom, and a door to sealingly close the open side or bottom, one of the door and the container portion defining access structure. The substrate container additionally includes a check-valve assembly, the check-valve assembly being retained with respect to the access structure to provide fluid communication with an interior of the substrate container. The check-valve assembly includes a grommet, the grommet being formed of an elastomeric material. A valve seat is disposed within the grommet, the valve seat being integrally formed with the grommet according to one aspect, and being formed of a separate piece according to another aspect. An elastomeric valve member, specifically an elastomeric umbrella valve member according to one aspect, is disposed within the grommet and held to engage the valve seat, thereby restricting fluid flow through the check-valve assembly with respect to the interior of the substrate container.

Abstract: A purge tower assembly for a substrate container. The assembly may include a purge interface body, including a base portion and a top portion, for mounting to a bottom plate of a substrate container. The base portion may include a substantially tubular base sidewall and the top portion may have a top sidewall positioned on the top edge of the base portion. The top portion may include an inlet nozzle for mounting through a rearward inlet in the bottom plate. The inlet nozzle may have a substantially tubular sidewall extending upwardly from the top sidewall and defining an interior of the inlet nozzle. The base portion and the top sidewall may define an offset conduit portion disposed connected to the base portion and the inlet nozzle, the base portion and the inlet nozzle in fluid communication via the offset conduit portion.

Abstract: A purge tower assembly for a substrate container. The assembly may include a purge interface body, including a base portion and a top portion, for mounting to a bottom plate of a substrate container. The base portion may include a substantially tubular base sidewall and the top portion may have a top sidewall positioned on the top edge of the base portion. The top portion may include an inlet nozzle for mounting through a rearward inlet in the bottom plate. The inlet nozzle may have a substantially tubular sidewall extending upwardly from the top sidewall and defining an interior of the inlet nozzle. The base portion and the top sidewall may define an offset conduit portion disposed connected to the base portion and the inlet nozzle, the base portion and the inlet nozzle in fluid communication via the offset conduit portion.

Abstract: A substrate container includes a container portion having an open side or bottom, and a door to sealingly close the open side or bottom, one of the door and the container portion defining access structure. The substrate container additionally includes a check-valve assembly, the check-valve assembly being retained with respect to the access structure to provide fluid communication with an interior of the substrate container. The check-valve assembly includes a grommet, the grommet being formed of an elastomeric material. A valve seat is disposed within the grommet, the valve seat being integrally formed with the grommet according to one aspect, and being formed of a separate piece according to another aspect. An elastomeric valve member, specifically an elastomeric umbrella valve member according to one aspect, is disposed within the grommet and held to engage the valve seat, thereby restricting fluid flow through the check-valve assembly with respect to the interior of the substrate container.

Abstract: A transport container for substrates such as semiconductor wafers and solar cell substrates includes a cover and a base having a plurality of side walls including movable wall portions with vertically extending hinges or hinges that provide a pivot about a vertical axis. The hinges can be resilient movable polymer portions such as living hinges and can have an unconnected upper edge and an unconnected lower edge to allow the movable wall portions to move inwardly relative to a floor of the base. The cover can include a base engagement portion configured as a cam portion that engages a cover engagement portion on the movable wall portions as the cover is inserted onto the base. As the cam portions of the cover engage the cover engagement portions, the cam portions move the wall inwardly relative to the base to align the substrates.

Abstract: An improved chemical mechanical polishing retaining ring. A representative embodiment comprises a base portion made from a wear-resistant plastic material, and an upper portion, or backbone portion, made from a stiffer and more wear resistant material. One of the base or backbone portion is preferably overmolded onto the other. The base portion can be generally defined by a flat pad-contacting surface, an outer surface, and an inner surface. The base portion can additionally include channels extending from the outer surface to the inner surface to facilitate transfer of slurry to and from the substrate to be polished during the process. One or both of the base portion or backbone portion further includes a plurality of circular ribs that serve to create additional bonding surface with the overmolded material. The retaining ring may additionally includes a plurality of bosses with threaded insert holes by which the retaining ring is attached to a chemical mechanical polishing system.

Abstract: A container for holding a wafer includes an enclosure portion having a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, a back and an opposing open front defined by a door frame. A door is sealingly engagable in the door frame to close the open front. The container further includes wafer restraint means in the enclosure including fixed wafer restraint means and operable wafer restraint means. The operable wafer restraint means is selectively positionable by engaging and disengaging the door from the door frame, and is positioned so to enable insertion or removal of a wafer from the container when the door is disengaged from the door frame and positioned so as to cooperate with the fixed wafer restraint means to restrain the wafer in the container when the door is engaged in the door frame.

Abstract: A substrate container and a bottom plate are connected with a mechanism for adjusting the distance between the container and bottom plate, by, e.g., a threaded connection between two members of the connector mechanism. Also provided are a duck-billed valve for venting the container and a dampener for minimizing damage due to shocks.

Abstract: An improved chemical mechanical polishing retaining ring. A representative embodiment comprises a base portion made from a wear-resistant plastic material, and an upper portion, or backbone portion, made from a stiffer and more wear resistant material. One of the base or backbone portion is preferably overmolded onto the other. The base portion can be generally defined by a flat pad-contacting surface, an outer surface, and an inner surface. The base portion can additionally include channels extending from the outer surface to the inner surface to facilitate transfer of slurry to and from the substrate to be polished during the process. One or both of the base portion or backbone portion further includes a plurality of circular ribs that serve to create additional bonding surface with the overmolded material. The retaining ring may additionally includes a plurality of bosses with threaded insert holes by which the retaining ring is attached to a chemical mechanical polishing system.

Abstract: A container for holding a plurality of wafers in an axially aligned, generally parallel spaced apart arrangement includes an enclosure portion having a top, a bottom, a pair of opposing sides, a back and an open front. At least one wafer support is provided in the enclosure along with a kinematic coupling on the bottom of the enclosure. The container has a door for sealingly closing the open front which includes a chassis and an operable latching mechanism on the chassis. The latching mechanism includes a cam selectively rotatable to shift the latching mechanism between a first favored position and a second favored position and at least one vibration dampener for dampening vibrations generated when the latching mechanism is shifted between the first and second favored positions.

Abstract: An improved chemical mechanical polishing retaining ring. A representative embodiment comprises a base portion made from a wear-resistant plastic material, and an upper portion, or backbone portion, made from a stiffer and more wear resistant material. One of the base or backbone portion is preferably overmolded onto the other. The base portion can be generally defined by a flat pad-contacting surface, an outer surface, and an inner surface. The base portion can additionally include channels extending from the outer surface to the inner surface to facilitate transfer of slurry to and from the substrate to be polished during the process. One or both of the base portion or backbone portion further includes a plurality of circular ribs that serve to create additional bonding surface with the overmolded material. The retaining ring may additionally includes a plurality of bosses with threaded insert holes by which the retaining ring is attached to a chemical mechanical polishing system.

Abstract: A wafer container providing improved wafer restraint during physical shock events. In embodiments of the invention, a secondary wafer restraint structure defining a plurality of notches is interposed between opposing wafer restraint members on the door of the container. The notches may be defined by one or more converging edges or surfaces meeting at a junction. The junctions are positioned so as to align with the wafer receiving portions of each opposing pair of wafer restraint member so that when the door is fully sealingly engaged with the enclosure of the container, the edge of the wafer is contacting the junction. In this position, any vertical movement of the wafer due to shock imparted to the container causes the wafer to contact the converging surfaces or edges, thereby limiting such movement.

Abstract: A substrate kinematic coupling or guide plate for a substrate carrier having textured or patterned surfaces at the points of contact to reduce frictional forces generated between automated processing equipment and the kinematic coupling. The textured surface reduces the contact area between the processing equipment and the contact portion of the kinematic coupling, thereby reducing the resultant frictional force. By reducing the frictional force, the substrate carrier more readily settles on the mounting pins of the processing equipment, thus avoiding intolerable height and angular deviations during automated access to the substrates. Textures include, but are not limited to, a knurl pattern, ridges running laterally along the contact portions, and ridges running longitudinally along the contact portions. The textures may be formed by a blow molding, injection molding or in an overmolding process, or by a machining or imprinting process.

Abstract: A carrier for transporting silicon semiconductor wafers during semiconductor wafer processing operations including an enclosure, a door and a flange structured to interface with a machine so that the carrier can be lifted by the machine. A lift saddle connects the flange to the container so that the load on the flange is transferred to a part of the enclosure other than the top of the enclosure to prevent distortion of the enclosure to maintaining seal integrity between the enclosure and the door.

Abstract: A wafer carrier door having an inner door portion and an outer door portion. The inner door portion has a substantially continuous inner surface. The outer door portion extends over at least a portion of the inner door portion. The outer door portion has a plurality of apertures formed therein. The outer door portion is attached to the inner door portion.

Abstract: A container for holding a single wafer includes a door with a latching mechanism having a cam with a pair of opposing wings extending laterally therefrom. The cam is selectively rotatably shiftable between a first favored position wherein the wings are completely within the door enclosure to enable the door to be engaged and disengaged from the door frame, and a second favored position wherein the wings extend laterally outward from the door enclosure so as to engage in the latch recesses in the door frame when the door is engaged in the door frame. The cam wings may include a ramped portion thereon for drawing the door into closer engagement in the door frame when the cam is rotated from the first favored position to the second favored position.

Abstract: A substrate carrier to dissipate electrostatic charge has a conductive grid or network overmolded in a substantially integral container. The grid is electrically connected to an underlying and grounded saddle. The carrier may further include substantially transparent side walls and electrically conductive shelves to retain stored substrates in a generally axial alignment.